A Coon Rapids man was found guilty following a jury trial this week in Carroll County District of serious injury by vehicle while operating under the influence of methamphetamine. According to court records, a jury returned the verdict Thursday against 48-year-old William Ray Richards. The charges stem from an Aug. 11, 2022, crash on U.S. Highway 71 about 1.5 miles south of the Sac County line. Prosecutors showed Richards was intoxicated when he plowed into the rear of three vehicles that were stopped on the roadway for construction, resulting in injuries to two drivers and one of their passengers. Richards was immediately taken into custody by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and will be held at the Carroll County jail until sentencing. Each count carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and $7,500 in fines.
